Process and apparatus for removing a vaporizable substance from powdered material



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rooms nun arranarus OE SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T MWREL-SOUILE YORK, A GOBPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FUR REMOVING- A VAPORZZABLE S U'BSEANCE EH02? lPGWDEEED MATERIAL.

Application filed November at, icec. Serial ire. nearer.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it @own that l, Omvnn EDWARD Mmnnrt, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New Yer have in- 5 vented new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Removin a Vaporizable Substance from Powdered. aterial, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is

. a full, clear, and exact description.

7 This invention relates to a new and improved process and apparatus for removing a vaporizalole substance from powdered rna= terial.

The invention has many adaptations and uses, but is designed particularly. and is eculiarly adapted for removing moisture om powdered materials, terials to he used for food such as milk powder, which substances are readily sensltive to taint and change, as a result of various conditions, such as too high temperatures for considerable periods oi time, stationery contact with highly heated surfaces, etc.

In connection with powdered milk and similar materials it is desirable to reduce the moisture content to a minimum as the keeping %ilitlities of the product consi erahle extent upon the moisture conto tent. Very often in the'initial practice of" the spraying process or other processes, the moisture content is not reduced to the desired extent, and in such cases it is desirable to. remove additional desiccation by Further, milk powder as well as many other powders, v scopic nature; and during. transportation, storage, etc. may absorb moisture from the dampened in other ways, rendering subsequent d-ry'm. desirable and the apparatus and process ere descrihed is eilicient for that purpose.

Other objects and advantages relate to the as details of construction of the apparatus and of the process, as

the details of operation from the following will more fully appear particularly madepend to a is of a more or less hygro:

description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:. 7

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus of my invention, capable of being used to-carry out the process herein.

Figu for containing and the pipe for conveymg the powder. a

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the air and powder discharging apparatus.

Figure 4 is a vertical rear elevation of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectionthrough the middle of Figure 3.

As shown, the apparatus consists of a hopper -1- for containing the powder to he dried. This hopper has an elbow-shaped nozzle --2 projecting into a pipe -3- which pipe is in communication at one end with a fan or blower -d adapted to project a current of air under pressure through the ipe --3-, and as the nozzle -2- opens in t c direction or flow of airthrou h the pipe 3=, the traveling air will wit draw re 2 is asectional view of ,the hopper till and pick. up the powder discharged from nozzle 9- and conveyit to the portions of the apparatus hereinafter described.

Preferably, in order to prevent hack presin. ejected into the powder.

he pipe -,-3- has a tangential communls cation with a distributing chamber -.-6 the inner wall --7- of which chamber may he of substantially circular formprvhile the outer wall is of convolute form 56' that as the 'commingled powder and air circle around the annular distributing chamber the powder -6--. its gradually tapering form causes and air under uniform ressure and rapid rotary motion to be proyected into the annular chamber 8- between the concentric 75 sure in the nozzle .2- and hopper -1 and Preferably these drums 9.- and '-10 at their forward .ends --11-- and-12 are tapered inwardly so that the velocity of the commingled air. and powder increases as the latter approaches the outlet'trom the chamher --8--.

Preferably, an additional concentric drum -21- is provided surrounding the drum ---:and forming a whirlin' air chamber motion endwisetoward the outlet --15-.

from the chamber 12'. Preferably, the

forward end ".16-- of drum -11- is ta pered so that the velocity of the air surrounding the incoming commin led powder and air increases as it-approac es the discharge end 15. The interior of the drum.

10- is also in communication with" the.

f wind trunk 1? the rear end of said drum opening'into the wind trunk so that a direct current of air blows through the The result of this'is that the hollow stream of commin led powder and air projected from cham er '8is spbjectedto an internal direct'current of air passing through the chamber- 17 and an external whirlchamber -12-.

ing current of, air

.Theresult of thisconstruction and'method of operation is that the powder .is minutely sub-divided and inthis form issubjected for a considerable period of time to the air,-

' which is preferably heated, the whirling m0- 'tion of the surrounding ..air tending to shorten the distanoe of longitudinal travel of the powder, while causing the powder'to remain in-suspension-in the air for a considerable period of time, whereby the drying is rendered most eficient.

The wind trunk.-13I- is connectedto any source of air under pressure, and preferably heated air, and for-this purpose itmay be connected in the usual manner to a fan or blower 18.- towhich heated air-- is sup- I plied in any suitable or well known manner,

'desiccating chamber -A--'may be separated in any suitable manner, and preferably in the usual manner the-air and vapor are allowed toescape from the. chamber 'se alately with the'powder through any suita le "arewell collecting or screening device,'all of which m and-commonly used in the passing through] the reverse specific construction of apparatus and m connection with the'same have outlined a.

particular process tobe carried out by the" though I haveshown and described a I same, I do not desire to limit myself to the details of the apparatus and rocess described, as various changes may e made in both the process and apparatus without dethe appended'claims What I claim is: i

1. The method of removing a vaporizabl substance from powdered material comprising pro'ecting' the powdered material in the form 0 a hollow stream and introducing a current of-moisture-absorbing air within the hollow stream. k

2. The methodot removing a vaporizable substance from owdered material compris; ing projectin t epowdered material in the form of a hollow stream and enveloping the hollow stream with a current of moisture-at sorbing air. 1

3. The method of removing a vaporizable v parting from the invent-ion as set forth in "substance from powdered material comprising projecting the powdered material in the form of ahollowstream, and enveloping the hollow stream with a current of whirling air.

4. The methodof removing a vaporizable substance from powdered material, comprising projecting the powder in the form of a hollow stream, introducing a current of the hollow stream within an additional current of air. I

5. The method of removing a vaporizable substance from powdered material, comprising projecting the powdered material in the form of a hollow stream having a spirally forward motion, and subjecting such stream to the action of a current of air,

6. The method of removing a vaporizable substance from powdered material, comprisingv projecting such powder in a tubular spirally forward motion introducin 8. ourrent=of air within the tube of pow er, and

envelo ing the tube with an additional cur rent 0 air.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a distributing chamber having a substantiallyconvolute walland an annular passage in communication with said distributing chamber.

. 8. In an apparatus of the class described, a distributing chamber having a substantially convolute wall, an annular passa e'in communication with said distributing 0 am-' her, and means for introducing oommingled air and powder under pressure into said distributing chamber. i

air within the hollow sheet and enveloping.

form, the particles of the powder havinga reraeae 9. In an apparatus of the class described, a distributing chamber having a substantially convolute wall, an annular passa e in communication with said distributingc amher, means for introducing-commingled air and powder under pressure into said d1stributing chamber, and an air conduit within the annular passage.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a distributing chamber having a substantially convolute wall, an annular passage in annular passage, and an air chamber surrounding the' annular passage. 7

11. In an apparatus of the class described,

' distributing cham er in communication with the annular space between two of said three substantiall concentric drums and a drums. 12. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of substantially concentric drums, and a substantially circular tapered distributing chamber in communication with the space btween'the drums, and means for introducing powder into the distributing chamber adjacent its largest cross section.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 30 hand this 17th day of November 1920.

OLIVER; EDWARD NmRRELL; Witnesses:

H. E. Cmsn, E.- M.,FRADENBURG E. 

